ExtUtil...M::Utils(3)

✨ NAME ✨

ExtUtils::MM::Utils — all the ExtUtils::MM methods you love, but with zero dependency on ExtUtils::MakeMaker. it's giving "tiny function, no baggage" 💅

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

require ExtUtils::MM::Utils;
MM->maybe_command($file);

like. that's it. that's the whole vibe check. so easy. 🦋

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

okay bestie, gather round, because this one is a glow-up story.

This module is a lil collection of ExtUtils::MM subroutines. Tons of other modules use them, but those modules do not need the full, whole, entire, main-character ExtUtils::MakeMaker experience. The problem with ExtUtils::MakeMaker? it pulls in Perl header files, and for a tiny lil subroutine that is SO overkill. it's giving bringing a whole moving truck to carry one strawberry 🍓.

The example that lives in my head rent-free: IPC::Cmd, which literally caused installing GCC 😭 just because of a three-line maybe_command() from ExtUtils::MM_Unix. three lines!! and we're out here installing a whole compiler. not the move.

So the intentions — yes, intentions, that's the word — is to use ExtUtils::MM::Utils instead of ExtUtils::MakeMaker for these trivial methods. and good news: you can still call them via the MM class name. same energy, way less weight. periodt. ✨

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🎀 METHODS 🎀

• maybe_command — Returns true, if the argument is likely to be a command. like, it's not making any promises, it's just doing a vibe check on whether your argument could be a command. no cap. 👑

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💀 BUGS 💀

ngl, there are some things you should know:

• These methods are copied from ExtUtils::MM_Unix. so yeah, it's a copy situation.
• Other operating systems are not supported yet. 💀 not yet!!
• The reason is this is a hack for Linux distributions — specifically this one: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1129443

so if you're on something that isn't Linux, this is a "bestie I cannot help you" moment 🙈

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• ExtUtils::MakeMaker
• ExtUtils::MM

go read those too, iykyk 🫶

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that's the whole page!! this beauty is perl v5.42.0, dated 2025-07-25, and it lives in the manual as ExtUtil...M::Utils(3). mwah, go forth and maybe_command responsibly 💖✨🎀